Electrical cord plug holding device



June 28, 1960 A. B. REAGER ELECTRICAL CORD PLUG HOLDING DEVICE FiledJan. 27, 1959 ll L. Ill 11 '1 u m I I II III I ll llll \-\w-\ INVENTOR.Awier 5. Emaze United States Patent O ELECTRICAL CORD PLUG HOLDINGDEVICE Albert B. Reager, 135 S. 6th St., Shamokin, Pa.

Filed Jan. 27, 1959, Ser. No. 789,432

2 Claims. (Cl. 174-66) This invention relates to an electrical cord plugholding device, and it particularly relates to a device of this typewhich is utilized in conjunction with an electrical receptacle unit.

In the modern home, and especially in the kitchen Where a Wall plate isoveror near a breakfast nook or service bar, there are usuallyappliances such as radio, toaster, percolator, etc., that is, more orless permanent fixturesfor, every day use. In case aperson wishes to usearazor or electric iron or other appliance, it is a simple matter toremove the male connection from the wall plate, hang it on one of thefingers of the attachment and hook up another appliance temporarily; thecord connection (male or female) is always handy to replace in theproper receptacle.

It is one object of the present invention to overcome the difiicultiesof hunting for the connection and in many cases in picking it from thefloor.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cord plugholding device of the aforesaid type which is very simple inconstruction and which is extremely easy to attach in position.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cord plug holderof the aforesaid type which is not easily broken or damaged because ofits simplicity of construction.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide an improvedelectrical cord holder, of the character described, that is easily andeconomically produced, which is sturdy in construction, and which ishighly eflicient in operation.

With the above and related objects in view, this invention consists inthe details of construction and combination of parts, as will be morefully understood from the following description, When read inconjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. l is a front view, partly broken away, of an assembly comprising anelectrical receptacle unit and cord plug holder device embodying thepresent invention;

Fig. 2 is a view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing an alternative form ofthe invention.

Referring in greater detail to the drawing wherein similar referencecharacters refer to similar parts, there is shown a wall receptacleunit, generally designated 10, including a face plate 12 having bevelledside and end flanges 14 and 16. A pair of vertically spaced receptacleoutlets 18 are provided on plate 12 in the ordinary manner.

The face plate 12 is connected to the wall unit or the like my means ofa screw 20 or the like in normal fashion. However, before tightening thescrew 20, a cord plug holder constituting this invention, generallydesignated 22, is attached to the receptacle unit face plate 12. Thiscord plug holder 22 comprises a metal plate including a horizontalportion 24 integral with a vertical portion '26 at one end thereof. Thehorizontal portion 24 is "ice provided with a pair of spaced slots 28extending inwardly from the front edge thereof to a distance partiallytoward the vertical portion 26. These slots 28 form three spaced fingers30, 32 and 34; the fingers 30 and 34 being of the same size andrelatively narrow, while the middle finger 32 is relatively wide. Theouter ends of these fingers 30, 32 and 34 are bent upwardly toward thevertical plane to form a front wall to prevent sliding off of anelectrical connection hung on the horizontal portion 24.

The attaching means for the holder 22 is an upwardly and forwardlyextending upper flange 36 on the vertical portion 26. This angularflange is inserted behind the lower bevelled flange 14 of the plate 12before the screw is tightened. Then when the screw 20 is tightened, theflange 14 clamps the angular edge flange 36 in place where it serves asa hanger for the holder 22. The inclinations of the bevelled flange 14and bevelled edge flange 36 also coact to prevent the edge flange 36from slipping out from its clamped position.

As described above, the bevelled shape of the edge flange 36 preventsdownward movement of the holder 22 relative to theplate 12. In addition,in order to prevent any upward movement of the holder 22 relative toplate 12, the vertical portion 24 is provided with two spaced forwardlyextending projections 38 forming a pair of lugs which act as stops byabutting against the lower edge of lower flange 14 of the plate 12 andprevent any possible upward movement of the holder 22.

Although this invention may also be used for an electric cord to bewound thereon when not in use, its particular intended use is fortemporarily receiving and sup porting either the male or the female plugat either end of an electric cord plug, particularly the cord plug of anelectric appliance that is normally used as a more or less permanentfixture. Thus, a double receptacle in a kitchen may have a radio and atoaster plugged therein, and it may be desired to temporarily connect aniron in place. In such case, the plug 40 for the toaster will be removedfrom the receptacle and be supported between two of the fingers, and theplug 42 for the iron will then be put into the receptacle. Thus, theplug 40 for the toaster is kept handy, and when ironing is finished, theplug 42 for the iron is removed and the plug 40 for the toaster is athand for ready replacement in the receptacle, as shown in Fig. 2.

The attachment may be made of stainless steel or other suitable materialto match existing wall plates and of sufficient gauge to insure properstrength.

It is to be understood that although the combination illustrated inFigs. 1 and 2 show the holder 22 in use with a two-receptacle outletdevice, the holder can be made wider to fit larger size wall plates.Itcan furthermore be used in conjunction with any number of receptacleoutlets.

In Fig. 4 there is shown an alternative form of the invention whereininstead of using separate receptacle units and cord holders, the partsare made integral. In this manner, the receptacle unit 50 comprises aplate 52 similar to plate 12 and provided with similar end and sideflanges 54 and 56, respectively. It is also provided with similarreceptacle outlets 58.

The unit face plate 52 differs from. the first described unit plate 12,however, in that at its lower end, the bevelled flange 56 is integrallyformed with vertical wall 60 which is, in turn, integral with horizontalportion 62 similar to horizontal portion 24 and similarly provided withspaced, upwardly bent fingers 64.

Apart frombeing integrally formed, the device shown in Fig. 4 operatesexactly as does the combination shown in Figs. 1 and 2. It is, however,cheaper and easier to produce than the two separable parts as isobvious.

buildings which are not already provided with wall plates,

or for substitution in place of the usual face plate 12.

Although this invention has been described in considerable detail, suchdescription is intended as being illustrative rather than limiting,since the invention may be variously embodied, and the scope of theinvention is to be determined as claimed. Having thus set forth anddisclosed the nature of this invention, what is claimed is:

1. In combination, a wall electrical unit vertically extending faceplate and an electrical cord plug holder, said face plate comprising avertically extending major portion and a beveled flange border portion,said beveled flange portion extending rearwardly from said major portiontoward the vertical wall on which it is mounted, said cord plug holdercomprising a relatively rigid horizontal plate portion having aforwardly extending cord plug supporting means, said cord plugsupporting means comprising a plurality of fingers laterally spacedapart a distance suflicient to permit the electric cord of a cord plugto enter therebetween but insufficient to permit the plug to passdownwardly therebetween, and a vertically extending rear portionintegral with said horizontal plate portion, said vertical rear portionhaving an upper forwardly extending portion cooperating with the rear ofthe face plate lowermost beveled flange border portion to hold said rearportion against the vertical wall and thus support said plug holder inoperative position.

2. In combination, a wall electrical unit vertically extending faceplate and an electrical cord plug holder, said face plate comprising avertically extending major portion and a beveled flange border portion,said beveled flange portion extending rearwardly from said major portiontoward the vertical wall on which it is mounted, said cord plug holdercomprising a relativelyrigid horizontal plate portion having a forwardlyextending cord plug supporting means, said cord plug supporting meanscomprising a plurality of fingers laterally spaced apart a distancesuflicient to permit the electric cord of a cord plug to entertherebetween but insufficient to permit the plug to pass downwardlytherebetween, and a vertically extending rear portion integral with saidhorizontal plate portion, said rear portion being integrally connectedto the face plate beveled flange border portion to thus support saidplug holder in operative position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS661,557 Schwab Nov. 13, 1900 809,441 Hanks Jan. 9, 1906 2,028,694 SpinksJan. 21, 1936 2,084,953 Gibson June 22, 19 37 FOREIGN PATENTS 78,595Norway May 28, 1951 246,366 Switzerland Sept. 16, 1947

